Night Markets

Photo Courtesy of visitphilly.com

Where & When:

Old City- May 15th

West Oak Lane – June 19th

Lancaster Ave @ 35th St – August 21st

Chinatown- October 2nd

Cost: Free!

A popular series of outdoor street festivals, Night Market Philadelphia is a seasonal celebration of food, music and community held in the city’s vibrant neighborhoods. Attracting thousands of visitors from around the region, the preeminent celebration of street food features dozens of the city’s best food trucks and restaurants along with live entertainment from local musicians, artists and more.

The Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party Series

Where & When: Various - Visit the Radio 104.5 website for dates and locations

Cost: Free! But they reach capacity quickly so check the website often for the most up-to-date info.

Morris Arboretum

Photo Courtesy of upenn.edu

Where: 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia

When & How Much: Visit their site here for hours and admission prices.

Take some time to get away from college life and the city! The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is a historic public garden and educational institution. The Arboretum’s 92-acre lush and colorful gardens is the perfect place to relax and connect with nature. It’s also a really cute place to take a date! You can discover your favorite garden spaces and learn from 12,000 labeled plants, trees and flowers. For more information and upcoming events visit their website here.

Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll

Check out West Philly! Baltimore Avenue is West Philadelphia’s Main Street, home to some of Philadelphia’s most authentic and unique businesses. Every year, University City District organizes this signature summer festival where merchants open their doors and offer deals for a dollar. The Stroll also features live music, food trucks, and street performers.

Manayunk Arts Festival

The 25th annual Manayunk Arts Festival is the largest outdoor, juried art festival in the tri-state region. In addition to fine craft vendors and food trucks, nearly 300 artists will showcase their work at the June festival. For more information visit their page here.

2nd Street Festival

Photo Courtesy of uwishunu.com

When: Sunday, August 3rd

Where: N. 2nd St. between Germantown St. and Green St.

Cost: Free!

The 6th annual 2nd Street festival will be returning to the Northern Liberties this year to help support and celebrate hard working community businesses. Every year, over 100 businesses contribute their own monetary donations to support the 2nd Street Festival; local businesses understand that the yearly block party draws the public from all corners of the city and brings awareness to the up-and-coming neighborhood. For a single day, the 2nd Street Festival brings neighbors and strangers together through live music, food, games, and the arts. For more information visit their website here.

Made in America Festival

Jay-Z’s Made in America Music Festival is returning to Philly with another two days of nonstop musical performances by an epic lineup of artists. Headliners this year include Kayne West, with Kings of Leon, Tiësto and The National. Pharrell Williams, Steve Aoki, J. Cole, Girl Talk, and many more will also be joining them at the event. For the complete 2014 lineup, check out Philly 360°.

Furnishing a new apartment can be quite costly if you don’t shop smart. Before you go out and buy, consider all of your options. I recommend checking out a thrift shop or Goodwill for good quality at a very low price. Whether you are getting ready to move in a couple of days or a couple of months, here are some great places to look for furniture around Temple Town.

ReStore by Habitat for Humanity

Photo courtesy of habitatphiladelphia.org

ReStore is a furniture thrift store run by Habitat for Humanity. They offer new and gently used furniture for 50-75% below retail value and 100% of proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity — it’s a win-win situation. One of our residents was able to purchase a desk for $10 and a dining table for $35. Get all the information on their hours here.

Tip: Check out their weekly “color” sale — all the price tags have a color and each color is designated a sale price. For example, on Tuesday, all the blue price tags could be 20% off and all the green price tags 30% off. Also ask them for a list of delivery services if you do not have a large vehicle.

Craigslist will give you the most bang for your buck if you are lucky. There is generally something available within any price range on Craigslist. Finding good stuff may require some time and patience, but eventually you will find exactly what you are looking for (even if you have to keep checking every other day.) Click here to check out Craigslist Philadelphia.

IKEA caters to those with a more modern sense of style, such as the full-sized bed pictured above for $129. They have literally everything that you would need to furnish an apartment.

Tip: If you are planning on buying a lot of items or bulky items and don’t have the car space, consider teaming up with a friend that is also shopping for a lot of stuff and go halfsies on Ikea’s delivery service or renting a UHaul.

Get ready thrifters, Jinxed is the place to go for vintage furniture and decor near Templetown! It is a great option for those who are willing to spend a bit more money for a more old-fashioned look. Visit Jinxed‘s website for listings and more information.

Shopping online is great if you don’t have a car because you can get your items shipped right to your door. Wayfair.com is a great place to shop because they have a wide variety of furniture styles in every price range. And the best part, free shipping on most orders over $49.

Decorate! Buy some plants and hang art to make your new place warm and welcoming. Check out our Pinterest boards for inspiration.

Rearrange furniture to find what arrangement works best.

It is also important to be social! Get to know your neighbors, have a house warming party to announce the move to friends, and do something fun with your roommate. For more tips and information visit Udemy’s Apartment Checklist.

Spring has sprung in the city! The City of Brotherly Love has tons of fun things to do around the city with most of them including food (yes!). Check out some of the events listed below and celebrate the warm weather this weekend.

Philadelphia Science Festival

Date: Friday April 25 – Saturday, May 3

Philadelphia Science Festival

Are you ready to #GetNerdy? Celebrate all things science and technology at the annual Philadelphia Science Festival. The nine day event includes all sorts of fun events like a Science Fair Carnival on the Ben Franklin Parkway, Beer Chemistry, Field Trips to the city’s best museums and Science Night at Citizens Bank Park with discounted tickets. Be sure to check out the website to see which events spark your inner nerdy side.

Head down to South Street this Saturday for the festival to kick off spring. From 11:00 am to 8:00 om enjoy this all-ages outdoor party filled with games, music, art and your favorite South Philly restaurants serving up some of their signature dishes and cocktails- that includes dessert!

One of Philadelphia’s most popular spring festivals is upon us! Walnut Street from Broad to 19th street will be flooded with people from all over the Philly and the most delicious, stylish and entertaining Center City spots will be there to kick off the month of May. Don’t miss out on the Outdoor Lounge at Whisper, Stephen Starr food demos and some awesome live music. As if you needed any more incentive to go, bring in 10 cans, $10 or both to benefit Philabundance and be entered for a chance to win prizes from Starr Restaurants.

This might be the best deal yet. Join Radio Station 104.5 as they kick off their Summer Block party series with a FREE – yep, that’s right free- concert featuring CHVRCHES, Phantogram and Cherub at the Piazza in Northern Liberties. Need we say more? Get there early to get a good spot!

The weather is getting warmer, the sun is finally out and about, and final exam week is approaching… I think we can all agree the end of spring semester is the most difficult time of year for students to keep up with their work load. Everyone is getting restless for summer time, but don’t let the nice weather steal your focus. We’ve made it this far, so here are some tips to stay on track and conquer final exams.

Retake Any Previous Tests If They Are Available

If your exam is cumulative, this is the most effective way to study. Looking over all of your notes from the whole semester is so overwhelming and time consuming. If you just take the time to retake other exams from the semester, it will target the concepts you know the best and the areas that need work.

Don’t Cram!

I’m sure you have heard this many times before, but this part is vital in order to do well on most exams. Cramming is such a stressful and ineffective way to study. You mind gets overwhelmed because of the stress and does not retain very much of the information. Study smart, set a side an hour or two each day to study and don’t stress.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Staying up all night studying defeats the purpose of doing so because your mind doesn’t retain information when you are tired. Avoiding cramming will allow you to get a good night’s rest so that you can be relaxed and ready for exams.

Study In a Quiet Space

Where you study is also important in maximizing how much information you retain. Studying in places that have less noise and people traffic – the library, the tech center, a quiet coffee shop/tea lounge – will result in more effective study time and improve your ability to recall information that you went over during that time.

Don’t really know what Earth Day is all about? No problem. Earth day is a day dedicated to respecting the environment. While we should consider every day Earth Day, the official day to celebrate everything that makes the world great is Tuesday April 22nd! Whether you celebrate the day by helping planting trees, picking up trash or learning about sustainability there are plenty of ways to respect the environment for Earth Day.

Photo cred: Nature.org

5K Run for Clean Air

Date: Saturday April 19, 2014

Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art

Time: 9 am – 12 pm

Cost: $25- $35

Details: Run or Walk for the Earth at the 5k Run for Clean Air! Participate in the 3k (walk) or 5k (run) and don’t miss out on the Earth Day celebration afterwards.

Directions from TempleTown: Take the SEPTA 15 trolley towards 63rd and Girard from Girard and 16th avenue. Get off the trolley at 24th street and head west on S. College Ave toward N. 24th street. Turn left onto N. 24th street. Turn right onto Fairmount Ave. Turn left toward Art Museum Dr.

Details: Head to the Navy Yard for their Earth Day Week celebrations! Learn about and tour local sustainable businesses, get a sneak peek of the new park, and be sure to visit the Energy Awareness Festival! Check the Navy Yard’s website for a full schedule of events.

Directions from TempleTown: Take the SEPTA Broad Street Line Subway starting at Cecil B. Moore to AT&T Station. Turn left onto Crescent Dr. Turn right onto S. 13th St. Turn right onto Intrepid Ave. Destination will be on the left.

Details: Campus Sustainability Week features a wide range of events and activities designed to foster a sustainable worldview on campus. These include two panel discussions, on financing energy resources and bike safety, respectively; a walking tour in which participants will learn how to identify edible and medicinal plants that grow on Main Campus; and a clothes swap.

Did you miss our Open House last week? No worries, we have two more Open Houses coming up. And if you can’t make those, just give us a call and we’ll schedule a private tour for you! In fact, take a tour of The Modules the week of April 7th and we’ll give you a sweet TempleTown t-shirt!

Come take a tour of The Modules at TempleTown – A modern, sleek, and green apartment building featuring a roof deck, free wi-fi, and furnished and unfurnished 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, just 1 block from Temple’s campus!

Open House guests will enjoy:

Apartment & Roof Deck Tours

Refreshments

Exclusive Move-In Specials available for Open House guests

The first 10 guests to reserve an apartment within 10 days of the Open House will get a FREE Apple TV on move-in day!

Summer is approaching and most of us are likely thinking about getting in good shape. Balancing school, work, friends, and family may be hard, but it is important that we find the time to exercise. It is not only good for our physical health, but it is also a great tool for keeping calm and controlling stress levels! So here are some tips to approach getting fit on a tight budget:

1. Avoid Expensive Brands

Photo courtesy of pennypincherfashion.com

Workout gear is surprisingly costly. If you want to look the part without investing money in workout gear, we’ve listed some great places for you to shop!

FOREVER 21:

$9 yoga capris and $6 spandex shorts, need I say more?

Unfortunately there aren’t any Forever 21 stores nearby that are easy to travel to via public transportation, but it is about a 25 minute drive up I-95 N to the Franklin Mills location. Online ordering is also a convenient option if you do not have a car.

TARGET:

When it comes to work out gear, Target provides good quality and low price tags. Items are constantly going on sale, so keep your eyes peeled in the clearance section because you are likely to find a great deal!

The closest Target to Templetown is the location on 2701 Castor Avenue. It is only a 15 minute drive down I-95 N. And again, ordering online is also a convenient option if you do not have a car.

MARSHALL’S:

You can never go wrong with Marshall’s. They offer the same great quality at discount prices and have a large selection of athletic gear. Marshall’s can sometimes be a hit-or-miss, but when they are a hit, Marshall’s is the cheapest option out of the bunch.

The closest Marshall’s to Templetown is located on 1044 Market Street. To get there you will want to hop on the Broad Street Line going South, get off at City Hall, then take a short walk on over to Market Street.

OLD NAVY:

Old Navy offers a wide selection of comfortable, affordable, and flattering pieces. (And is a great back-up plan if Marshall’s is a bust because it is within walking distance!) They are always running some kind of coupon or deal, so shop smart!

The closest Old Navy to Templetown is located on 1001 Market Street. To get there you will want to hop on the Broad Street Line going South, get off at City Hall, then take a short walk on over to Market Street.

2. Take Advantage of Temple’s Facilities

Photo courtesy of temple.edu

Temple University offers free, unlimited gym access for students, so why not take advantage of it! All you have to do is show your student ID at the door. Temple has two fitness facilities: the Independence Blue Cross Recreation Center (IBC) and the Temple University Fitness facility, both which are free and accessible to students. They both offer state of the art equipment. Temple’s recreation centers also offer group fitness classes with a variety of choices ranging from hi/low aerobics and yoga to body toning and spinning. All sessions are on a first-come, first-served basis. So you should arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of the session.

3. Don’t Forget to Maintain a Healthy Diet

Photo courtesy of hercampus.com

College brings stress, time-constraints, and high costs upon students, which makes healthy choices extremely difficult. Fast food is cheaper and more readily available, especially because of the plethora of food trucks at our disposal. Eating out on campus may be convenient (no grocery shopping, no cooking, no washing dishes), but it’s also expensive. When you buy your own food, you can eat healthier at a lower cost. You might have to spend a little more time on your meals, but you can choose what you want to eat and build up your culinary skills. Here are some tips to eating healthy on a tight budget and time schedule:

Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, otherwise you’ll be paying a much higher price

Cook more at once and save it for later-

Spend a few hours over the weekend preparing food for the week. Then, when you come home during the week, all you have to do is pull something out of the freezer and heat it up.

Buy in bulk. You might not eat 5 lbs. of chicken this week, but why not buy it and portion it out? Separate servings into separate plastic bags, storing this week’s portions in the fridge (maybe marinated) and anything you won’t eat in the next few days in the freezer.

Pack your own lunch. As obvious as this one may seem, a lot of people don’t bother. Pack it the night before, you won’t regret it.

Drink water. Sometimes when your body is craving water, you feel hungry. Drink a glass of water before each meal and stay hydrated throughout the day. It will prevent over eating and will make you feel much more energized.

Just coming back from a warm, sunny spring break vacation? It might be easy to get down about being back in the polar vortex, but these sweet treat and deals in the city should make the transition back into heavy coat weather a little easier.

The Baker’s Jar

Description: This new bakery will definitely cure any sweet tooth. Enjoy anything from a Happy Birthday Cake, Lemon Pie, or chocolate bread pudding all served in a mason jar (a perfect excuse to keep it all to yourself).

Directions from TempleTown: Take the SEPTA Broad Street Line southbound toward Center City. Get off at the Lombard/South Street stop. Walk toward 625 S. 16th street.

Description: Close your eyes and pretend you’re in the warm sun when you eat a Vanilla Bean Orange Blossom popsicle from Lil Pop Shop. With 17 flavors to choose from, it will be easy to pick out a sweet treat.

Directions from TempleTown: Take the SEPTA Broad Street Line southbound toward Center City. Get off at the Lombard/South Street stop. Walk toward 534 S. 4th street.

Description: If you’re looking for something different to do that won’t break the bank, Daily Candy has you covered with events and activities around the city all for less than $10. Go to a Yoga class for $7, get a free skin care consultation with free samples, and when the weather finally warms up play a game of min golf at Franklin Square Park. Take a look at the list and see if there’s something that catches your eye.